Leipheim Air Base

The closure was a direct result of the strategic restructuring and downsizing of the German Armed Forces (Bundeswehr) following the end of the Cold War. The base was deemed surplus to requirements as part of a nationwide plan to consolidate military forces and reduce infrastructure.

The vast majority of the former air base has been successfully converted into a large inter-municipal industrial, commercial, and technology park named 'Areal Pro'. The former runway and taxiways have been repurposed as roads and development plots for numerous companies in logistics, manufacturing, and services. A significant portion of the land has also been designated as a nature conservation area. However, aviation has not completely ceased; a small section of the original airfield continues to operate as a civilian special-use airfield (Sonderlandeplatz Leipheim) with the new ICAO code EDML, serving general aviation and business flights.

Leipheim Air Base has a significant and multi-layered history.
1. **WWII Era:** Built in 1936 as part of the Nazi rearmament, it was a major base for the Luftwaffe. Its most notable role was as a key production and test facility for the Messerschmitt company, particularly for the Me 262, the world's first operational jet-powered fighter aircraft. This made it a high-priority target for Allied bombing raids during the war.
2. **Cold War Era:** After being captured by U.S. forces in 1945, it was briefly used by the USAAF. In 1959, it was returned to the newly formed West German Air Force (Luftwaffe). It became the home of Jagdbombergeschwader 34 (Fighter-Bomber Wing 34), which operated aircraft such as the F-84F Thunderstreak, Fiat G.91, and finally the Panavia Tornado. As a frontline NATO air base, it played a crucial role in the defense of Western Europe and was a site for the storage of US tactical nuclear weapons under the NATO nuclear sharing agreement.

There are no known plans or prospects to reopen Leipheim as a large-scale military or commercial airport. The conversion into the 'Areal Pro' industrial park is extensive, well-established, and represents a permanent change in land use. The existing infrastructure has been fundamentally altered to support industrial and commercial activities, making a reversion to a major airfield economically and logistically unfeasible. The current small-scale general aviation operation at EDML is the only form of aviation expected at the site for the foreseeable future.